Sunday, October 12, 2014

Elected Officials Have Their Own Blue Wall

Bob McManus: “(N)either Heastie nor Flanagan has said anything meaningful about reform. This is unsurprising, because neither has felt any pro-reform pressure from rank-and-file lawmakers — most of them soul-dead and virtually none possessing the skills needed to form an honest Legislature anyway.” * When it comes to outside income earned by state lawmakers, the main focus is usually on high profile jobs like attorneys and consultants, but there’s a lot of other professions, too.* New Session, New Call For Inclusion In Closed-Door Meetings (YNN)* DAY-ONE PUSH FOR ETHICS - POLITICO New York's: As the State Legislature gavels in for the year, Democrats in the State Senate are laying down a marker: don't forget ethics reforms. Leaders of the both the Assembly and Senate were ousted at the end of last year due to federal corruption charges, which were affirmed in a pair of convictions that have increased pressure on lawmakers to do something to improve public perception. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said ethics reforms will be at the "top" of his agenda in next week's State of the State presentation, and he told reporters in Rochester Tuesday that part of his plan will be to "remove the pensions of public employees who are convicted of a felony." "Let's not bury our heads in the sand and act like nothing is wrong," Senate Democratic leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins is expected to say, according to prepared remarks. "Every year it seems that we face more and more scandal. And every year we pay lip service to reforming our government. Well let me tell you that is not good enough! Now is a time for a major re-haul of our outdated ethics laws."* Yesterday was Day One of the 2016 legislative session, and the Democratic and Republican leaders of the state Legislature laid out starkly different agendas for the 2016 session, signaling that the coming six months will be a tricky period during an election year.

Three months after Ruben Wills was arrested for what Attorney General Eric Schneiderman described as “a shameful breach of the trust his constituents placed in him,” have any of his 47 fellow Democrats in the New York City Council called on him to resign? Why is it that the safest harbor for indicted politicians in this state is inside the halls of government? Not that Democrats are alone in laying on thick this appalling whitewash. Take Rudy Giuliani, who POLITICO’s Maggie Haberman quotes as saying, “The Cuomo situation, I can’t figure it out … I’m getting nervous that prosecutors are jumping [at a political case].” Wha—?! Let’s ignore for a second that Giuliani had to preface his remarks by disclosing that his law firm is representing individuals who might be questioned by investigators in connection with Moreland.

Last January Paterson charged that were was a blue Wall of Silence similarly to the cops code of never going after corrupt cops was not reviewed or analysed into today papers. Nobody but True News pick up on his comments. Today the NYT reports that Senator Parker made his remarks when the Democrats could not afford a new controversy, yet none publicly criticized him. State Senator Charges Racism Among G.O.P. Lawmakers

After the Abner Louima beatings the Rev. Sharpton organized marches against the police Blue Wall of Silence. After his fellow cops turned on him and forced Officer Justin Volpe to plead guilty the NYT wrote an editorial on May 26, 1999 that said A Blue Wall of Witnesses (NYT Ed) Sharpton said “Not only are we now getting convictions of police on misconduct, but actually for the conspiracy. This is a real blow to the blue wall of silence.” Despite the conviction of almost a dozen Albany pols and not one pols criticized the behavior of their members. The NYT or any other media outlet has not written on story on the damage the pols (Blue) Wall of Silence has done to New York. True News has: The Silence of the Pols and Press (True News)

The Political Wall of SilenceNot One Pol Expresses Outrage, As Their Co-Worker Goes to Jail

Judge Sullivan said. “This is a day of failure for everyone.” "Brian M. McLaughlin" the federal judge continued “You had every opportunity, and you used those opportunities and squandered them for your own benefit on a monumental scale.” The Judge slammed the former Democratic assemblyman for what the judge called a "brazen and perversely creative" theft scheme that funded a lavish lifestyle including three mistresses. Sullivan said the onetime labor leader -- who admitted stealing from taxpayers, political contributors, union members and even his local Little League -- preyed on more victims than the judge had ever before seen. A group of union leaders, family and friends submitted letters to Judge Sullivan for consideration during sentencing. The submissions come from people as wide-ranging as McLaughlin's Alcholics Anonymous sponsor to State Senator Padavan.

Not one word in any of the papers from his former colleagues in the Assembly or anyone else elected to office who according to informed sources, are hiding from the press on this sentencing as they do any time one of their co-workers goes to jail. It is like the bad old days of the police department's "Blue Wall of Silence," before the Rev. Sharpton and others caused at least some good cops to speak out against the bad cops. To this date there been no pressure by the press or any public demonstrations to force pols to speak out against bad pols. In the 70's Rev. Sharpton said the fact that cops did not go after their lawless partners was the leading cause of corruption in the Police Department. No less can be said about the pols who fail to speak out against their corrupt colleagues. Ex-Labor Leader Is Sentenced to 10 Years for Racketeering. The NYT has an editorial about corruption in the British Parliament Poor, Poor Parliament, but nothing about the Brian. No editorial in the NYP or DN either *** Queens residents don't wish Brian well *** POL GETS JAIL IN $3M SCAM *** Supporters bombarded the judge with 50 letters, including some that noted McLaughlin's recent enrollment in Alcoholics Anonymous and renewed devotion to his family *** Ex-Queens Assemblymember Mclaughlin gets 10 years

Pols Blue Wall of Silence Enabled By the Media

Yesterday's charge by Paterson that were was a blue Wall of Silence similarly to the cops code of never going after corrupt cops was not reviewed or analysed into today papers. The gov made this charge on a radio show.Albany's 'Blue Wall Of Silence' In fact the NYT has not even written today about the governors speech. What Paterson was talking about was that not one Albany pol has said a word against any of their disgraced members convicted of corruption. Come to think of it either has Paterson until after his handlers come to the conclusion that the only way for him to win was by running against the corrupt in Albany. Both the NYP and DN stories were about the governor and did not have one comment from any of the pols his reforms would effect. It is interesting how the newspapers allow the Albany gang to hide from the public and go behind closed doors and craft a bill with more holes than the Detroit bombers underwear. It is even more interesting how the papers could act this way when their own editorial boards scream out for change in Albany. Why do the papers protect the pols Blue Wall of Silence even when they have written thousands of stories about the cops wall of silence and organized crime wall of silence? True News began pointing out the political wall of silence last may The Political Wall of Silence: Not One Pol Expresses Outrage, McLaughlin Goes to Jail